Improvement in wind-wheels



Nirnn rares H. S. WENTWORTH, OF NOR-VELL, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT IN WIND-WHEELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 40,525, dated November 3, 1863.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, H. S. WEN'rWoRTH, of N orvell, in the county of Jackson and State of Michigan, have invented a new and Improved Wind-Wheel 5 and I do hereby declare that the followin gi s a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a front view of my invention 5 Fig. 2, a side sectional view of the same, taken in the line x, Fig. l, Fig. 3, a horizontal section of the same, taken in the line y y, Fig. l; Fig. 4., a detached side view of the sail-adjusting mechanism for stopping and starting the wheel; Fig. 5, a front view ot'a section or portion ofthe wind-wheel.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

This invention consists,f1rst, in attaching the wind wheel and vane to a frame placed on a circular way, and arranged in such a manner that it will rotate under the action of the wind, so that the wheel will always be made to face the wind. This arrangement is made to supersede the revolving head on a Xed post, the usual plan for allowing the wheel to be adjusted to the wind.

The invention consists, secondly, in a novel construction and arrangement of the several parts of the wheel, whereby the same is rendered capable of being readily taken apart for repairs or for other purposes.

The invention consists, third, in a novel and improved mechanism for stopping and starting the wheel, and also in an improved governor or regulator for controlling the speed of the wheel and rendering it uniform under variable velocities of the wind.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

A represents a horizontal platform, on which a circular way,B,is permanently secured; and C is an upright frame provided with a base, D, of T form, having rollers c attached to it which work on the way B. This frame C rotates or works on a circle plate, D, on the platform A, as shown in Fig. 2.

To the frame G a vane, E, is attached, and a horizontal shaft, F, is fitted in the upper part of said frame and allowed to rotate freely. On this shaft F there is fitted a head, G, in which arms H are radially secured, any suitable number of arms being used. These arms are braced and retained in proper position by curved or segment bars I I', the inner ones,I, being permanently secured to the arms, so as to form a concentric circle, and the outer ones, I', being attached by screws b to the ends ot' the arms, the ends of the bars I' slightly overlapping each other, as shown clearly in Fig.'l.

J represents the sails of the wind-wheel, which are of taper form, and'attached to rods or shafts K, which are tted radially inthe segment-arms I I', and allowed to turn freely therein. The inner ends of the sails J are at the outer edges of the segments Land the outer ends project some distance beyond the segments I', the latter passing through slots c in the sails, as shown in Figs. l and 2. The lower ends of the sails J, at one side, are connected in pairs by bars K', the sails having each a pivot, d, attached, which pivots pass through holes in the ends of the bars K', as shown in Fig. 5. Each bar K' has a bent lever, L, connected to it. These levers work on pivots or fulcrums e, which pass through barsf, attached to the segment-bars I, and the inner ends of the bent levers L are connected with arms M, which are attached to a sliding head, G', on the shaft F. The head G' has a circular plate, g, attached to its back end, and this plate is fitted in the front end of a bent lever-frame, O, the fulcrum h of which is attached to the frame C. This lever-frame has a rod, P, attached to its back end, said rod being provided with a weight, Q, at its lower end. This weight Q has a tendency to keep the head G' drawn back on the shaft F, and consequently to keep the sails J in a proper relative position with the wind.

R represents supplemental sails, which are at the outer side of the segment bars I', and are attached to and project from one side of radial rods h, which pass through the bars I' and through the guidesi at the inner sides of the arms H. These rods h are allowed to turn freely in their bearings, and they are bent at their inner ends to form cranks j, which are connectedto the front side of the sliding head G. The supplemental sails R have a reverse position to the sails J, and the former are bent longitudinally in V form, as shown clearly in Fig. l. The outer segments, I'are braced by bars k from the front end of the shaft F.

vlocity of the wind.

my arrangement the power-of the wheel can be more readily taken from the shaft F. TheA Wind, as it acts against the sails J and rotates the wheel, also acts against the supplemental sails R, and, as the latter are in a reverse position to the former, the sails R will, if.they are turned under the action of thewind, cause, owing to their connection with the head G',

as described, the sliding head G to be moved forward on the shaft F and the sails J to be turned so as to present a less area to the wind 5 Y hence the speed of the wind-wheel will be rendered uniform under different degrees of ve- The supplemental sails R are actuated or turned through two different .means, one by the direct action of the wind .if the latter be sufficiently strong, and the other by the resistance offered to them by the pair under the rotation of the wheel 3 hence the sails R act perfectly as governors in all cases, for if the wind be light and the wheel have but little machinery attached to it, it

might, if it were not for the sails R, connected with the head Gr', as shown, rotate with undue rapidity. The speed of the wind-wheel, there l fore, will be rendered uniform in all cases.

The wheel may be stopped at any time by simply raising the weight Q and rod P, by which the sliding head G is shoved forward on shaft F and the sails J turned edgewise to the Wind. v

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire t0 secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The frame C, with wind wheel and vane attached and applied to the platform A, to rotate thereon and keep the wheel properly presented to the wind, substantially as herein set forth.

. 2. The manner of constructing the Windwheel as herein set forth, to wit, by means of the radial arms H, braced by the segmentbars I I', with the latter passing through the sails J, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

3. The supplemental sails R, applied to the wind-wheel, and connected with the sliding head G', as shown,in combination with the sails J, also connected to the head G, and all arranged to operate as and for the purpose specied.

4. The sliding head Gf, placed on the shaft F, and connected with the sails J and R and the lever frame 0, for the purpose of stopping and starting the wind-wheel, as set forth.

H. S. WENTWORTH. WVitnesses:

ALVINZIE HUNT, L. C. PAYNE. 

